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Super Sentai dating conundrum
The Super Sentai dating conundrum refers to the clashing dates given in individual Super Sentai series, especially in regards to their relation to the greater franchise. As a general rule in Super Sentai, other tokusatsu, indeed all media in a "present day" setting is assumed to roughly correspond to their release (i.e. television broadcast or theatrical release). As Toei hero series typically have a standard run of one year, with weekly episodes, the passing of seasons may become apparent by characters changing their manner of dress for summer or winter. As well as that, episodes broadcast in the period of Christmas and New Year may reflect the respective festivities. On-screen, explicit dates may be infrequently provided by items such as newspapers, calendars or mobile phone screens. Super Sentai Compilation, a special episode of Mirai Sentai Timeranger following the finale, acknowledges the first 25 Super Sentai according to their premiere year as the Timerangers travel through time to observe their predecessors and immediate successors. However, it is noted that the Timerangers introduce themselves to the viewer as commemorating the conclusion of their TV series; as such, the special is not within the series' continuity. Clues *''Himitsu Sentai Gorenger'' (1975-77) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1975 by Super Sentai Compilation. **Curiously, it is said that three years have taken place between the first and penultimate episodes. In the real world, Gorenger concluded after just short of two years. **In Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen, the picks up "Akarenger" in Winter of 1976. Though this Akarenger is later established to be an imposter, it is clear that the real Akarenger was active in this period. *''J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai'' (1977) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1977 by Super Sentai Compilation. **Several episodes in the series made reference to the Japanese pop duo Pink Lady, who were major stars within the country between 1975 and 1980. *''J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai vs. Gorenger'' (1978) **Another Pink Lady reference, such as those used prior in J.A.K.Q., was done in this movie. *''Battle Fever J'' (1979-80) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1979 by Super Sentai Compilation. **A major plot point in episode 23 is the team's obsession in hanging out in video arcades that specialized in the game Space Invaders; the game was released by Taito in 1978 and through 1978 and 1979, "Invader" arcades were a huge fad within Japanese pop culture. **Episode 29 was involved a major scare during 1979 involving the supposed sighting of the Kuchisake-Onna throughout Japan. *''Denshi Sentai Denziman'' (1980-81) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1980 by Super Sentai Compilation. **A poster seen in episode 27 was associated with the film The Empire Strikes Back, which was released the year of Denziman. *''Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan'' (1981-82) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1981 by Super Sentai Compilation. *''Dai Sentai Goggle V'' (1982-83) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1982 by Super Sentai Compilation. *''Kagaku Sentai Dynaman'' (1983-84) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1983 by Super Sentai Compilation. *''Choudenshi Bioman'' (1984-85) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1984 by Super Sentai Compilation. *''Dengeki Sentai Changeman'' (1985-86) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1985 by Super Sentai Compilation. **The final episode occurs during a period when Halley's Comet is close to Earth, which occurred between January and March of 1986. *''Choushinsei Flashman'' (1986-87) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1986 by Super Sentai Compilation. Indeed, the opening titles establish Flashman's present day as 1986. *''Hikari Sentai Maskman'' (1987-88) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1987 by Super Sentai Compilation. *''Choujuu Sentai Liveman'' (1988-89) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1988 by Super Sentai Compilation. **''Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai'' confirmed the death dates of several of the Liveman's friends and family: both Takuji Yano and Mari Aikawa were killed by the three traitors Kenji Tsukigata, Rui Senda and Gou Omura in 1986; while Kenji and Rui sacrificed themselves in 1989, the year when their death episodes aired. Due to the death of Kenji likewise leading to the end of Great Professor Bias, this confirms that Liveman's story ended in 1989. *''Kousoku Sentai Turboranger'' (1989-90) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1989 by Super Sentai Compilation. **Due to the Japanese school system having an April-March schedule, the series finale ends in March with the senior graduation at Musashino Academy. *''Chikyuu Sentai Fiveman'' (1990-91) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1990 by Super Sentai Compilation, and was indeed said to commence in spring of 1990. **A blackboard in the opening episode (confirmed in the ruins from the third episode) confirms Zone's initial attack on Earth and the destruction of Newtown Elementary School occurred on March 2nd. *''Choujin Sentai Jetman'' (1991-92) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1991 by Super Sentai Compilation. **''Ep. 1: Seek the Warriors'' confirms through a TV monitor that the story begins on December 23rd 1990, the day Ryu Tendo and Rie Aoi are recommended for the Jetman project by Commander Aya Odagiri. **''Ep. 10: Cup Noodles'' has an advertisement for the musical Les Miserables in the background as Ako watches the Ako-chan Ramen commercial; the musical originally opened on the West End of London in 1985; and first opened in Japan in 1987. **''Ep. 26: I'm a Primitive'' uses the Bio-Dimensional Beast Space-Time Mammoth, whose digital clock on it's head declares the current time as "AD 1991". *''Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger'' (1992-93) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1992 by Super Sentai Compilation. *''Gosei Sentai Dairanger'' (1993-94) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1993 by Super Sentai Compilation. **Ep. 44: Touching!! You Cry Too ends on Christmas Eve. *''Ninja Sentai Kakuranger'' (1994-95) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1994 by Super Sentai Compilation. **In Ep. 6: The Eyeball Prince!, Tsuruhime and Mokumokuren's marriage certificate is dated March 25th, 1994, matching the airdate. **Ep. 45: The Hasty Santa occurs on Christmas. *''Chouriki Sentai Ohranger'' (1995-96) uniquely places itself in the near-future year of 1999. Indeed, the first episode is entitled Invasion!! 1999. This placement would, however, put it at odds with the greater Sentai timeline. Indeed, Super Sentai Compilation acknowledges Ohranger as the Super Sentai of 1995. **Most notably is Ohranger's cross-over with the follow-up season, Carranger, in Gekisou Sentai Carranger vs. Ohranger: Carranger's endgame occurs in January, 1997, which would have been two years prior to the Baranoia's first invasion of Earth; however the Ohranger are pursuing Bara Mobile, who is stated in the Vs. movie as being "the last Baranoia warrior". **Also of note is a timeskip in the endgame arc which sees the Earth occupied by the Machine Empire Baranoia for a period of six months before the Ohrangers return to defeat the Empire. *''Gekisou Sentai Carranger'' (1996-97) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1996 by Super Sentai Compilation. **Ep. 43: Merry Carmagic Christmas!! ends on Christmas. **The final three episodes of Carranger take place on January 24th of 1997, the day of the Wine-Barrel Constellation. *''Denji Sentai Megaranger'' (1997-98) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1997 by Super Sentai Compilation. **Both Ep. 42: Lose Them! The Evil Pursuers and Ep. 43: We Won't Be Defeated! Decisive Christmas Eve Clash occur on Christmas Eve. **Ep. 44: Carefree! Kenta's New Year's Eve Crisis occurs on New Year's Eve. **Due to the Japanese school system having an April-March schedule, the entire endgame culminating with the final episode ends in March with the senior graduation at Moroboshi High School. *''Seijuu Sentai Gingaman'' (1998-99) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of 1998 by Super Sentai Compilation. *''Kyukyu Sentai GoGoFive'' (1999-2000) explicitly commences in AD 1999, the year of the Grand Cross. **The Grand Cross proper is confirmed to have occurred on August 18th of that year; further solidified with the final caption of the twenty-fourth episode, which specifically states 10 Days to the Grand Cross. Episode 24 aired on the 8th of August, thus 10 days after would be the 18th, the day of the actual event. **''Ep. 44: Rescue File 99'' commemorates the final day of the year, decade, century and millennium, as well as refers to the Y2K phenomenon which affected computers on January 1, 2000. **Having turned 19 in 2018, Umika Hayami was born in 1999. *''Mirai Sentai Timeranger'' (2000-01), uniquely and most conveniently, sets dates at the end of each of its episodes. **The future Timerangers arrive from the 30th century and meet Tatsuya Asami on February 13th of 2000. **On October 25th, 2000, between Case Files 35 & 36, the Timeranger and GoGoFive defeat the final remnants of the Psyma. **The Timerangers return to their future time period on February 14th of 2001, the conclusion of the Great Annihilation. **The epilogue of Case File 50: To an Infinite Tomorrow catches up with Tatsuya a year following the departure of the Timerangers (2002). **In the non-continuity final episode, Super Sentai Compilation, the Timeranger travel through every year from 1975 to 2001 and encounter every subsequent Super Sentai hero in their year of airing, including their follow-up, the Gaorangers. *''Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger'' (2001-02) is acknowledged as the Super Sentai of the New Year, 2001, by Super Sentai Compilation. **In Quest 20, Gaku Washio confirms that he became GaoYellow and fought his first Org around Tanabata of the previous year; the holiday occurs on July 7th, thus he first became GaoYellow in July, 2000. This further confirms information revealed in Quest 02 that Gaku became GaoYellow over a half-year prior to the discovery of Kakeru Shishi/GaoRed. *''Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger'' (2002-03) **''Scroll 46: New Year's Meal and Three Giants'' occurs on New Years Day. *''Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger'' (2003-04) **''Ep. 5: Abare Cure! Bubububuum!'' features a series of contemporary movie posters consisting of , , and , all of which would have been screened in Japan in early 2003. **''Ep. 28: The Bride is Abare-chan'' refers to the year of airing as the 100th anniversary of the birth of famed film director Yasujiro Ozu, who was born December 12, 1903; 2003 was the centenary of his birth. *''Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger'' (2004-05) **''Episode. 45: Accidental Present'' occurs around New Years. *''Mahou Sentai Magiranger'' (2005-06) **''Mahou Sentai Magiranger vs. Dekaranger'' occurs completely on October 4-5, 2005, the date of the Ozu Family's once-a-decade "Fantastic Happy Day" celebration. **''Stage 41: The Teacher's Teacher'' and Stage 42: Confrontation! Two Ultimate Gods occur on Christmas. *''GoGo Sentai Boukenger'' (2006-07) **''Task. 43: The Dangerous Christmas Present'' occurs on Christmas. **''Task. 44: The Hermit's Onsen'' occurs on New Year's Day. *''Juken Sentai Gekiranger'' (2007-08) **''Lesson 43: Hapi-Hapi! Merry Christmas, Osu'' ends on Christmas. *The events of Engine Sentai Go-Onger (2008-09) commenced in 2008, as confirmed by Engine Sentai Go-Onger: 10 Years Grand Prix. **''GP 45: Hatsuyume Plans!?'' takes place primarily on January 1st, New Year's Day (2009). The epilogue takes place on the following day (January 2nd). *''Samurai Sentai Shinkenger'' (2009-2010) commences in 2009; the "World of Shinkenger" runs parallel with numerous , including the where Tsukasa Kadoya became Kamen Rider Decade, also dated 2009 AD by his . **''Samurai Sentai Shinkenger the Movie: The Fateful War'' takes place in summer of 2009. **''Act 44: The Eighteenth Head of the Shiba House'' occurs on New Years. *''Tensou Sentai Goseiger'' (2010-11) evidently commences in 2010. **Episode 40 of Gokaiger confirms that Tensou Sentai Goseiger vs. Shinkenger: Epic on Ginmaku occurred in October, 2010; also confirming this as as the Goseiger having defeated the Yuumajuu by this point but with the beginning of Matrintis to emerge as the Goseiger's new enemy. **''Epic 45: The Messiah is Born'' occurs on New Year's Eve. *''Tensou Sentai Goseiger vs. Shinkenger: Epic on Ginmaku'' takes place on October 2nd, 2010, a date established by Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger Ep. 40: The Future is the Past. *''Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger's'' (2011-12) precise setting is complicated in relation to both its immediate predecessor and successor. **Some time after Come Back! Tensou Sentai Goseiger: Last Epic - The Gosei Angels are National Icons!?, which itself follows the final episode of Goseiger, the Legend War, a great battle in which the first 34 Super Sentai repel an invasion of Earth by the Space Empire Zangyack occurs. A few years are said to take place between this battle and the Gokaigers arrival on Earth in Ep. 1: The Space Pirates Appear. Indeed, the formation of the Gokaigers following the Legend War, told through numerous flashbacks, clearly takes place over a period of some time. **In Ep. 40: The Future is the Past, Gai Ikari verifies that the Gokaigers have travelled back through time to October 2010 by pointing out that the is still under construction. In the real world, the Skytree would not be completed until February 29th in 2012. **''Ep. 44: A Lovely Christmas Eve'' takes place on December 24th. *''Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters'' (2012-2013) is stated as taking place in 2012, of the fictional New Anno Domini calendar. **''Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen:'' The Go-Busters interacted with in 2012; although the Fourze is for 2011, that series had experienced Christmas and New Years allowing for that story to continue into 2012 for the Go-Busters crossover. ***''Super Hero Taisen'' takes place over the course of two days, the second of which falls on April 21th, 2012. **''Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters Returns vs. Dōbutsu Sentai Go-Busters'' takes place on New Year's Eve, December 31st. **''Mission 45: Happy New Year! Another Small Formidable Enemy'' takes place on New Year's Day of 2013, January 1st. *''Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger'' (2013-2014) **''Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z:'' The Kyoryugers interacted with in 2013; although the Wizard is for 2012, that series had experienced Christmas and New Years allowing for that story to continue into 2013 for the Kyoryuger crossover. **''Brave 20: Unlucky! Tanabata's Windfall'' takes place over the two days, the last of which falls on , which typically commences on July 7th. **''Brave 41: Yanasanta! Deboth's World War'' occurs on Christmas Eve. **''Brave 42: Wonderful! Christmas of Justice'' ends on Christmas. *''Ressha Sentai ToQger'' (2014-2015) **''Ressha Sentai ToQger Vs. Kamen Rider Gaim Spring Vacation Combining Special:'' The ToQgers interacted with in 2014; although the Gaim is for 2013, that series had experienced Christmas and New Years allowing for that story to continue into 2014 for the ToQger crossover. **''Station 41: The Christmas Battle'' ends on Christmas. **''Station 42: Words to Reach You'' occurs on New Year's Eve. *''Shuriken Sentai Ninninger'' (2015-2016) **''Shuriken Sentai Ninninger Vs. Kamen Rider Drive Spring Vacation One-Hour Combining Special:'' The Ninningers interacted with in 2015; although the Drive is for 2014, that series had experienced Christmas and New Years allowing for that story to continue into 2015 for the Ninninger crossover. **''Shinobi 9: Ninjutsu vs. Magic, the Great Battle!'' takes place entirely on April 26th, 2015, a date provided by a poster promoting Harukaze Katou. **''Shinobi 43: The Legendary Ninja! Yokai Karuta Tactics'' falls on New Year's Day, January 1st. *''Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger'' (2016-17) presumably commences in 2016. **Based on an observation made by Sela in Ep. 10: The Most Dangerous Game, the first ten episodes take place over the course of two months, roughly matching their real world broadcast. **''Spring Vacation Combining Hero Festival:'' The Zyuohgers interacted with in 2016; although the Ghost is for 2015, that series had experienced Christmas and New Years allowing for that story to continue into 2016 for the Zyuohger crossover. **''Ep. 36: The Prince of Halloween'' takes place on Halloween, October 31st. **''Ep. 43: The Christmas of Witnesses'' takes place on Christmas Eve, December 24th. *''Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger Brave'' (2017) presumably takes place in 2017. *''Space.18: Emergency Dispatch! Space Hero!, which features the Kyurangers' visit to the prime reality, ''Girls in Trouble: Space Squad Episode Zero, Uchuu Keiji Gavan vs. Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger, presumably take place in 2017. *In Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger (2018), events said to have taken place "a year ago" are set in 2017. Number 45: Looking Forward to Christmas specifies that the mass disappearance which included the Lupinrangers' loved ones took place in February of the past year. **''Number 8: The Thieves' Identities'' takes place over the course of two days (March 31st-April 1st, 2018). **''Number 19: The Price of Disobeying Orders'' takes place over the course of three days (June 15th-17th, 2018). **''Number 20: The New Thief is a Policeman'' takes place over the course of a night and two days (June 24th-26th, 2018). **''Engine Sentai Go-Onger: 10 Years Grand Prix'' takes place in 2018. **In Number 35: Good People, Bad People, Ordinary People, Kairi Yano makes a comment acknowledging that the Heisei era is nearly at an end, referencing the upcoming abdication of Emperor on April 30th 2019. **''Number 45: Looking Forward to Christmas'' takes place at Christmas. **''Number 46: An Inescapable Game'' takes place at the start of the New Year (2019). **''Number 47: What I Can Do Now'' takes place over the course of a night and one day (January 12th-13th, 2019). *''4 Week Continuous Special Super Sentai Strongest Battle!!'' (2019) *''Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger'' (2019-2020) *''Ressha Sentai ToQger Returns: Super ToQ 7gou of Dreams'' takes place in 2025. *The epilogue for Dairanger featured in Final Ep.: Let's Go! takes place in 2044. *''Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger Returns: 100 YEARS AFTER'' takes place in 2114. *''Mirai Sentai Timeranger Case File 1: The Time Fugitives'' commences in the year 3000 before the future Timerangers travel back a thousand years. Kyuranger Taking place in its own reality, the dating of Uchu Sentai Kyuranger remains a mystery. *In the past events, said to have taken place over 333 years ago, a human astronaut named Tsurugi Ohtori founded a universal Space Federation. *Assuming the history and progression of Kyuranger's world roughly corresponds to the real world, Tsurugi's "past" achievement would itself take place in at least the near future relative to our present day. From this, the "present day" of Kyuranger would be set no earlier than the mid-24th century. *Conversely, a case could be made to place Kyuranger in its world's equivalent of our present day, thus placing its past events in a radically different version of the late 17th century, circa 1684. Following this theory, the 300 year old Balance's date of "birth" would be in the year 1717. **This is supported by the fact that, the presence of Jark Matter aside, the present Earth appears the same as our own in regards to the contemporary appearance of buildings and the human populace, though this could be explained as Jark Matter's occupation stunting human progress. **Another case of support is the absence of any real world historical references, which feature throughout prime Super Sentai series, beyond the lore of Kyuranger. That is, epochs such as the and the are not acknowledged in Kyuranger. **Two seperate cases of the Kyurangers encountering other dimensions, namely the respective crossovers with and , match a contemporary time period. In other words, the cases of an Earth free of Jark Matter are clearly set in the early 21st century, circa 2017. *''Uchu Sentai Kyuranger vs. Space Squad'' takes place four years following Space.Final: Echo in the Universe! Alright, Lucky. External links * *